Hebrews 1:1-4 | What's the lesson for me today?
Response of Faith
The effort that the writer of Hebrews is going through is to establish the authority of Christ in such a way that the reader would believe. Within this present section, the method by which this is being done is through the authority of the Son of God. When I contemplate that authority, I ask what that should invoke in me. Certainly it should invoke a degree of confidence if I am in Him, and fear if I am not. The intended response is faith.
I must confess that I think I may have a warped view of authority. I grew up and live in a world of "authoritative" voices all around me. Across social media alone, everyone values their own voice more than the next. They are called influencers. Movie after movie has heroes rebel against authority. I have been taught by many that our great country was founded by justly rebelling against authority. We complain against our government and find every injustice we can to demean their authority. Conversations in conservative circles speak of the things they don't think they have to obey. Conversations in liberal circles are no different. We do not live in a society that recognizes authority. We live in a society that rebels against authority. The positions that once warranted respect now produce the adverse effect. Pastors are quickly condemned because people did not like a thing they said or did. Officers are gunned down simply because they are law enforcement. It is a disgusting world we live in. The only voice that bears weight to an individual is their own voice.
We hold fast to our rights, declaring them as God-given, but use them for self-exaltation. We make a mockery of the authority of God continuously as we argue against the Scriptures the things we don't like. My generation has been raised to see that rebellion against authority is where liberty comes from. The basis for that is that there is no authority outside of the self. If the self is the authority, then there really is no authority. We have been so concerned with the discussions surrounding relative morality that we missed the issue beneath the surface of relative authority. If authority is relative, of course morality would be. Those who argue for relative morality do so by thinking they are the ultimate authority over their own lives. But we have a conflict in ourselves when we believe morality is not relative but live and speak as though authority is.
Having contemplated this issue further, I am brought to a particular section of Scripture of someone who did understand authority.
I must confess that I think I may have a warped view of authority. I grew up and live in a world of "authoritative" voices all around me. Across social media alone, everyone values their own voice more than the next. They are called influencers. Movie after movie has heroes rebel against authority. I have been taught by many that our great country was founded by justly rebelling against authority. We complain against our government and find every injustice we can to demean their authority. Conversations in conservative circles speak of the things they don't think they have to obey. Conversations in liberal circles are no different. We do not live in a society that recognizes authority. We live in a society that rebels against authority. The positions that once warranted respect now produce the adverse effect. Pastors are quickly condemned because people did not like a thing they said or did. Officers are gunned down simply because they are law enforcement. It is a disgusting world we live in. The only voice that bears weight to an individual is their own voice.
We hold fast to our rights, declaring them as God-given, but use them for self-exaltation. We make a mockery of the authority of God continuously as we argue against the Scriptures the things we don't like. My generation has been raised to see that rebellion against authority is where liberty comes from. The basis for that is that there is no authority outside of the self. If the self is the authority, then there really is no authority. We have been so concerned with the discussions surrounding relative morality that we missed the issue beneath the surface of relative authority. If authority is relative, of course morality would be. Those who argue for relative morality do so by thinking they are the ultimate authority over their own lives. But we have a conflict in ourselves when we believe morality is not relative but live and speak as though authority is.
Having contemplated this issue further, I am brought to a particular section of Scripture of someone who did understand authority.
5 Now when Jesus had entered Capernaum, a centurion came to Him, pleading with Him, 6 saying, “Lord, my servant is lying at home paralyzed, dreadfully tormented.”
7 And Jesus said to him, “I will come and heal him.”
8 The centurion answered and said, “Lord, I am not worthy that You should come under my roof. But only speak a word, and my servant will be healed. 9 For I also am a man under authority, having soldiers under me. And I say to this one, ‘Go,’ and he goes; and to another, ‘Come,’ and he comes; and to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.”
10 When Jesus heard it, He marveled, and said to those who followed, “Assuredly, I say to you, I have not found such great faith, not even in Israel! 11 And I say to you that many will come from east and west, and sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven. 12 But the sons of the kingdom will be cast out into outer darkness. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” 13 Then Jesus said to the centurion, “Go your way; and as you have believed, so let it be done for you.” And his servant was healed that same hour.
-Matthew 8:5-13
7 And Jesus said to him, “I will come and heal him.”
8 The centurion answered and said, “Lord, I am not worthy that You should come under my roof. But only speak a word, and my servant will be healed. 9 For I also am a man under authority, having soldiers under me. And I say to this one, ‘Go,’ and he goes; and to another, ‘Come,’ and he comes; and to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.”
10 When Jesus heard it, He marveled, and said to those who followed, “Assuredly, I say to you, I have not found such great faith, not even in Israel! 11 And I say to you that many will come from east and west, and sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven. 12 But the sons of the kingdom will be cast out into outer darkness. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” 13 Then Jesus said to the centurion, “Go your way; and as you have believed, so let it be done for you.” And his servant was healed that same hour.
-Matthew 8:5-13
Authority was well understood by this Roman centurion. He is one who is guided and directed by those over him. Additionally, he has soldiers under him that he commands and instructs. He gets the weight of authority. When he comes to Jesus, he recognizes that Jesus is a man of authority. The centurion, recognizing his own authority over the things he has command over, sees the things Jesus has command over, nature itself. Surely testimony of Jesus made its way to the centurion. The centurion's response is the very response the writer of Hebrews wants us to have. He had faith.
As I read through the passage in Hebrews over and over again, I am caught up in how heavy the authoritative language is. One simple question rests in my mind as the lesson I am taking from this passage. Does my life reflect that I believe in the authority of Jesus? On that I will continue to meditate.
What lesson are you taking away from this passage?
As I read through the passage in Hebrews over and over again, I am caught up in how heavy the authoritative language is. One simple question rests in my mind as the lesson I am taking from this passage. Does my life reflect that I believe in the authority of Jesus? On that I will continue to meditate.
What lesson are you taking away from this passage?
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January
John 14:22-31 | What's the lesson for me today?John 14:22-31 | What am I going to do about it?John 14:22-31 | Prayer PromptsPassage of the Week: John 15:1-11John 15:1-11 | What's happening (and who's involved)?John 15:1-11 | What's the connection?John 15:1-11 | What's a lesson for the original audience?John 15:1-11 | What's the lesson for me today?John 15:1-11 | What am I going to do about it?John 15:1-11 | Prayer PromptsPassage of the Week: John 15:12-27John 15:12-27 | What's happening (and who's involved)?John 15:12-27 | What's the connection?John 15:12-27 | What's a lesson for the original audience?John 15:12-27 | What's the lesson for me today?John 15:12-27 | What am I going to do about it?John 15:12-27 | Prayer PromptsPassage of the Week: John 16:1-15John 16:1-15 | What's happening (and who's involved)?John 16:1-15 | What's the connection?John 16:1-15 | What’s a lesson for the original audience?John 16:1-15 | What's the lesson for me today?John 16:1-15 | What am I going to do about it?John 16:1-15 | Prayer PromptsPassage of the Week: John 16:16-33John 16:16-33 | What's happening (and who's involved)?John 16:16-33 | What's the connection?John 16:16-33 | What's a lesson for the original audience?John 16:16-33 | What's the lesson for me today?John 16:16-33 | What am I going to do about it?John 16:16-33 | Prayer Prompts
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